Coming Out Perfect
Writer/Artist: Richard Mercado
Letterer: Kyla Aiko
Publisher: Graphix
Publication Date: July 7, 2026
Based on writer/artist Richard Mercado’s own coming out story, Coming Out Perfect follows Filipino high school junior Kevin, whose attempt to tell his parents that he’s gay is met with total silence. They aren’t disappointed or angry or sad. They aren’t happy. They simply… act like nothing happened.
Kevin, of course, immediately feels small and unimportant, a feeling that persists for quite some time.
It doesn’t help that moments after he comes out, Kevin’s older sister—who their parents keep on a pedestal—comes home for a visit from university and prompts (yet another round of) comparison between her accomplishments and Kevin’s. This family pressure adds to Kevin’s social pressure, which comes from a few directions. He’s super tight with his fellow journalism club members, Gaby and Anton, but when Gaby asks him to run with her for student council as the VP to her president, he says no because he thinks he’ll drag down their chances.
When Kevin meets popular kid Raymond at a party, they don’t exactly hit it off—but after a few illicit drinks, Kevin tells Raymond that he wishes he could be “as perfect of a gay person” as Raymond, who’s wealthy and has a long-distance boyfriend in New York City.
Following some antics, the story turns to classic tropes as Raymond convinces Kevin to be his running-mate in the student council election in exchange for help becoming more popular. This not only prompts a huge fight with Gaby and Anton, but sets off a series of events that make Kevin question everything about who he is and what he believes.
Coming Out Perfect is Mercado’s debut graphic novel, though his name may seem familiar thanks to the Ignatz nomination he received in 2023 for his minicomic, I Owe It to My Parents Not to Come Out. Herein, he proves how much he’s honed his craft. Mercado’s storytelling is fast-paced and balanced with sharp dialogue and super expressive character art. His limited palette tightens focus on the characters’ internal worlds, which makes them feel more alive.
Kevin, in particular, is multifaceted and easy to root for. Coming Out Perfect really chronicles the coming-of-confidence stories of both him and Raymond, but as the book is through Kevin’s POV, he gets slightly more page time. He’s terrible at faking it until he makes it, which he has to do if he wants to follow the trajectory laid out for him by Raymond.
Then he’s asked to publicly back a cause he believes in (forming a school LGBTQ+ club and pushing for more inclusive school policies) and realizes Raymond isn’t as interested in making a true difference for the student body, despite them both being marginalized (and often tokenized) for their sexuality. This, more than any amount of hyped-up encouragement from Raymond, is what gives Kevin the confidence he needs to speak up, speak out, and be honest with his family, his peers, and himself.
This journey is deeply satisfying to read, and Mercado’s detailed layering of Philippine family culture with Kevin’s personal growth story adds a significant amount of depth to Coming Out Perfect. The more he learns to embrace who he truly is, the more the reader comes to understand about Kevin and his family—particularly his older sister, whose role in the book is small but very impactful.
Lettering by Kyla Aiko pulls everything together in Coming Out Perfect, particularly the quick switches between on-screen text messages and active dialogue. Included backmatter breaks down common Filipino vocabulary; provides an explanation of an anti-discrimination bill that has been repeatedly refiled in the Congress of the Philippines since the aughts (but has yet to pass); and reveals illustrations of foods Mercado’s family likes and locations that inspired certain scenes in the book.
Altogether, Coming Out Perfect is a big-hearted story about growth, connection, and how easy it is to get caught up in the feeling of being Seen for the first time, even if that feeling fizzles out. It’s an especially great recommendation for teens looking for diverse queer stories.
Final Verdict: Buy/Borrow
